OT: As my wife and I left this small shopping center in Morganton today we had to stop at a traffic

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

light to get on the main highway. And right at the traffic light there was this poor homeless man sitting between the traffic light and a Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant holding a sign that read "Homeless God Bless". And right beside the KFC there was a sign that read "Now Hiring". It just seemed strange to me that the homeless man didn't take advantage of the hiring opportunity. Although, granted he may have had mental problems and wasn't able to work. Plus, he looked very dirty and would have had to gotten cleaned up and gotten a clean change of clothes in order to be hired.

But it just seems to me there are a lot of opportunities in the work place even now for those that truly want to work. Maybe I should have stopped and talked to him to see if there was anything I could do to help him get in a better place. But this has always worked for me, help yourself, work hard and things will workout well for you most of the time. But, as I said maybe he wasn't able to help himself. Poor man.

 

[Neanderthal]

Maybe he don’t want to work.

 

[usc_nc]

There you go thinking again

seriously.... I will buy food and hand it to them but I never, never give cash.

I often have a few $10 gift cards for fast food places I will sometimes hand out.
But when the shoes, pants and hands are clean then I keep on driving.

 

[importcock]

I've often thought about this same thing Freddie. i feel like, other than physical or mental disabilities, many of the homeless could find a job and dig themselves out. I mean they have virtually no expenses other than food. They should be able to save a good portion of their pay until they have enough to get a place to stay, even if it's just a cheap room somewhere. Hope this doesn't come across as cold hearted. I really don't intend for it to. Just seems like some of them could get out.

 

[importcock]

I also heard a kind of joke about this. The guy said he saw a homeless man with a sign that said: "This could be you in 5 years", He was gonna give him some money but he held on to it just in case.

 

[Freddie.B.Cocky]

I've often thought about this same thing Freddie. i feel like, other than physical or mental disabilities, many of the homeless could find a job and dig themselves out. I mean they have virtually no expenses other than food. They should be able to save a good portion of their pay until they have enough to get a place to stay, even if it's just a cheap room somewhere. Hope this doesn't come across as cold hearted. I really don't intend for it to. Just seems like some of them could get out.

Well that was my mine and my wife's feeling today. It was just strange seeing him setting on the side of the road holding the sign homeless God Bless and the KFC sign within a few feet of him that read Now Hiring.

 

[Neanderthal]

Like the experts say .... 5% to 8% of the population don’t want to work and ain’t going to work. I’ll help anyone that is hungry, but am wary.

2x I got fooled. We were in Atlanta some years ago at GT calling the PC game on the radio. A fellow outside the arena was panhandling. I gave him $10. We stopped in for a cup of coffee one block up and he came out of the store next door with a bottle of wine. Also, saw a guy come off the train tracks a couple of years ago wanting help. Again, I gave him $6 and pointed to a McDonald’s nearby. I watched him. He came out of a Valero with a pack of cigs and a six-pack.

 

[PabloSC]

Saw a nice looking younger guy yesterday (Sunday) in a Publix parking lot playing the violin with a VERY loud amp with background music playing the tune as well (to make him sound better I'm sure). He had three kids with him and a long sign that said "I have three kids ........." He was holding up traffic in the parking lot as people stopped to talk to him and others coudn't park or back out etc. And the music was VERY loud. It was unerving to hear such loud music, see him asking for hand outs, with 3 kids sitting there learning his ways of asking for handouts to survive. I wasn't impressed, but maybe I'm callous.

 

[Cockish]

Offer to buy food and their tune quickly changes.

 

[ruffledfeathers]

Saw a guy "working" a stop sign on an offramp for I-95 in Florence. He was there for several days. I hit that corner about 5:00 one day. He was gathering his stuff to leave, and a late model white Mercedes convertible with a hot blonde driving picked him up. Apparently a professional sit on your butt and let them feed you money entrepreneur.

 

[TN-Gamecock]

They are at every freak'n red light in Johnson City and at the end of every ramp off I26...

The most clever one I saw was in Spartanburg off I-85 at Herron Circle...this girl was holding a sign, "please help me so I don't have to steal to eat"...I watched a few minutes and the cars coming thru were handing out $$$ like crazy...

I guess it was partly due to message, a young girl early 20's maybe, and quitting time at the Milliken headquarters...she knew the men would pony up....CLEVER!!!

 

[usc_nc]

True story.
Since I am in Med Sales I travel a lot. Since I am old and fat for exercise I walk 3 to 5 miles.
I am in Winston Salem , the hotel is at a mall and my first sales Call is at 1:00 pm and I am getting my walk in around at 11:00.
I see 3 people get out of a new Camry. The 2 walk to one exit and the 3rd a different exit. An hour later I leave the hotel and go out of one exit.
The man is holding a sign “Father of 3, laid off, need help to make mortgage”. For some reason I “ u turn” back into mall and go to the other exit and man.
He is holding the exact same sign!!!!

I was waiting for the red light and I couldn’t help it. I rolled down the window and yelled “ they are towing your Camry”

he got some work in that day as he took off at a full sprint

 

[lakemurraycock1]

He makes more money with the sign than at KFC.

 

[jerryusc]

Always give money to anyone that asks at WM/FL, etc. parking lot but after reading this I may stop. Once was at FL and a nicely dressed black lady asked me for money and I gave her $10. She didn't even act as if she appreciated it and was driving a nicer car than I was.😊
Twice at WM someone approached and asked for money and I gave both $20. One guy hugged me(asked before if it was ok). I noticed he got out of a car with several individuals. Probably were casing the area. I'm an easy touch.

When I joined the AF with a friend we were out the nite before in Charlotte and a guy asked for money. We both gave him $.50 cents and the poor guy started crying. Probably spent it on wine. This was in early 60s.


Once read that America is about only country where the poor are fat.

I may buy some gift cards at McDonald's or some other FF place instead of giving money.

 

[92Pony]

I have empathy for anyone truly in need. However, the ones we’ve all seen or heard about in these scenarios ruin it for the few who are genuine. Of those on the intersection corners, the ones that really bug me are the ones with a dog. If you’re having trouble scraping enough $$ to feed and care for yourself, then WHY have the additional expense/mouth to feed?!? (Hint: answer is cute puppy makes people feel sorry and give money).

 

[Forever Fowl]

Never give a homeless person a dime unless you know their circumstances. I've worked with that population and they have many opportunities if they so choose. Comprehensive services are out there and by giving them money you're enabling them to circumvent that system of care which is geared toward treatment and/or gainful employment.

 

[sickoftryingtothinkofausername]

I’ve never managed a KFC but if I did, it’s not like I’m going to hire a filthy unwashed homeless person whether I’m hiring or not. Where’s he gonna bathe, in the kitchen sink? And even if he gets the job, it’s not like he’s going to suddenly be not homeless. What does $8/hr buy? Homelessness. A good majority of homeless have serious mental problems or substance addictions, or both, which exclude them from holding down meaningful employment. And yeah, there’s also a good number who AREN’T homeless but have found they can make more panhandling than working. As someone else pointed out, panhandling sadly often pays more than working fast food. I’ve never thought about it before but if I were randomly handing out money, I’d rather give it to a fast food or grocery store worker who’s trying to make it rather than give it to a homeless person.

 

[CCUIrmo]

light to get on the main highway. And right at the traffic light there was this poor homeless man sitting between the traffic light and a Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant holding a sign that read "Homeless God Bless". And right beside the KFC there was a sign that read "Now Hiring". It just seemed strange to me that the homeless man didn't take advantage of the hiring opportunity. Although, granted he may have had mental problems and wasn't able to work. Plus, he looked very dirty and would have had to gotten cleaned up and gotten a clean change of clothes in order to be hired.

But it just seems to me there are a lot of opportunities in the work place even now for those that truly want to work. Maybe I should have stopped and talked to him to see if there was anything I could do to help him get in a better place. But this has always worked for me, help yourself, work hard and things will workout well for you most of the time. But, as I said maybe he wasn't able to help himself. Poor man.

I wondered these things sometimes myself before. However, my wife has been doing some work with the Homeless in downtown Columbia for several months now on the side. She talks with several of them and tries to see what they really need. A couple of the biggest issues with them getting a job doesnt always deal with not having the drive, etc. It involves things out of their hands. Just about every place they want to apply, they need a phone number as a contact and they dont have that. They also need to list a residency and they dont have that either. They can only stay in certain places for a small length of time and use that as a residence but it is not long term. If they dont have a phone or residence, most places wont talk with them about a job. They would not be able to contact them about how application went, if they go the job, how do they get them if they need to "call" them in? There is a whole lot that affects this.
Dont get me wrong, she has seen SEVERAL that are all about handouts and as I told her, they are like the seagulls in Finding Nemo, they look at things and say "Mine, mine, mine" and almost fight for things just to get them whether they need them or not. However, there are alot more that do not have the resources needed to get a job. Also, with the library not open to people coming in, they can not get on a computer to fill out applications or get help to fill them out. I think it is important to think about when you see someone wanting help, it is not because they dont want to earn it, it is because they dont have the resources needed to get it.

 

[GarnetBeamer]

It's a societal problem. Setting aside those who are truly unable to work and need help, you have people who can work, but choose not to and want handouts instead. Then you have those who will only take the most menial jobs and now want north of $15/hr for doing a job that was intended for high schoolers.

 

[GoCocksFight2021]

Doesn't help that we are flooding the country with low skill labor and that will further drive down wages and add more stress to our services programs. Makes NO sense at all.

 

[SLODAWG]

I wondered these things sometimes myself before. However, my wife has been doing some work with the Homeless in downtown Columbia for several months now on the side. She talks with several of them and tries to see what they really need. A couple of the biggest issues with them getting a job doesnt always deal with not having the drive, etc. It involves things out of their hands. Just about every place they want to apply, they need a phone number as a contact and they dont have that. They also need to list a residency and they dont have that either. They can only stay in certain places for a small length of time and use that as a residence but it is not long term. If they dont have a phone or residence, most places wont talk with them about a job. They would not be able to contact them about how application went, if they go the job, how do they get them if they need to "call" them in? There is a whole lot that affects this.
Dont get me wrong, she has seen SEVERAL that are all about handouts and as I told her, they are like the seagulls in Finding Nemo, they look at things and say "Mine, mine, mine" and almost fight for things just to get them whether they need them or not. However, there are alot more that do not have the resources needed to get a job. Also, with the library not open to people coming in, they can not get on a computer to fill out applications or get help to fill them out. I think it is important to think about when you see someone wanting help, it is not because they dont want to earn it, it is because they dont have the resources needed to get it.

Good post. I agree it's a more complicated issue than it might appear. I've struggled a bit on whether or not to give. As a Christian, if I feel led to give, I do. I don't worry about what they will do with the five bucks I've given them. I believe I should be obedient to the Sprit. What they do with the money is for God to be concerned about. I don't mean to turn this in to some kind of religions revival post, its just how I see it. Over the past few Christmases (except this past), my wife and I buy a bunch of gift cards for local restaurants, hand them out and say a prayer with them. Even that is not without struggles. The way I understand it, officials don't want people giving things to the homeless. They'd rather the homeless seek a shelter.

 

[Forever Fowl]

So many of the panhandles around Columbia have addiction/mental health issues or more likely both. One of the helping agencies most likely will have a treatment/service plan in place so when you see one begging for money they're not in compliance with that plan. Not having an address is not an issue as the agency can provide that as well as job placement for those that want it. Have you noticed how many homeless people have cell phones and can afford cigarettes? The City of Columbia has posted signs saying "don't give money to panhandlers". They've also removed benches at bus stops and parks. If they sleep under the Elmwood or Gervais bridge it's because they refuse to follow the requirements of Oliver Gospel Mission or the other shelters. Food is never an issue as many churches and shelters provide that. I volunteer at one. Downtown Columbia is no longer an easy mark so now many are taking the bus out to Harbison Blvd where the mall traffic assures easy money. You can give money and feel good but it's enabling negative behavior and probably supporting an addiction.

 

[Gaimcock]

I've often thought about this same thing Freddie. i feel like, other than physical or mental disabilities, many of the homeless could find a job and dig themselves out. I mean they have virtually no expenses other than food. They should be able to save a good portion of their pay until they have enough to get a place to stay, even if it's just a cheap room somewhere. Hope this doesn't come across as cold hearted. I really don't intend for it to. Just seems like some of them could get out.

Some that I know here in Charlotte do indeed have medical issues. One had brain surgery a few years ago. A few others simply do not have a home address or a permanent residence nor any reliable means of reliable transportation other than the Charlotte busses and trains. That kinda limits them as to where they can actually work. Don't know for sure, but I do know that the homeless guys standing on the side of the street here ion Charlotte, while not all are legit, the majority honestly do need assistance. Some are alcoholics, some are addicts. Handle such however you wish, but me personally, folks I can't help but help them when I can.

Just sayin'. Too each his/her own I guess.

 

[mikeypen]

Saw a nice looking younger guy yesterday (Sunday) in a Publix parking lot playing the violin with a VERY loud amp with background music playing the tune as well (to make him sound better I'm sure). He had three kids with him and a long sign that said "I have three kids ........." He was holding up traffic in the parking lot as people stopped to talk to him and others coudn't park or back out etc. And the music was VERY loud. It was unerving to hear such loud music, see him asking for hand outs, with 3 kids sitting there learning his ways of asking for handouts to survive. I wasn't impressed, but maybe I'm callous.

I saw a guy with that exact decription in Hickory a few months ago. He was at the Kohls/ Target parking lot. Had never seen anything like that before so we stopped and gave them 5 bucks. They never even said thanks. Saw them again in a different spot about a month ago. Wonder if it's the same folks or if it is some organized group that works different areas at different times.

 

[feeble2001]

The one of the first questions they will ask a Homeless individual is his home address, once he cant fill that out - his application will be thrown in the garbage

 

[jimnasium]

light to get on the main highway. And right at the traffic light there was this poor homeless man sitting between the traffic light and a Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurant holding a sign that read "Homeless God Bless". And right beside the KFC there was a sign that read "Now Hiring". It just seemed strange to me that the homeless man didn't take advantage of the hiring opportunity. Although, granted he may have had mental problems and wasn't able to work. Plus, he looked very dirty and would have had to gotten cleaned up and gotten a clean change of clothes in order to be hired.

But it just seems to me there are a lot of opportunities in the work place even now for those that truly want to work. Maybe I should have stopped and talked to him to see if there was anything I could do to help him get in a better place. But this has always worked for me, help yourself, work hard and things will workout well for you most of the time. But, as I said maybe he wasn't able to help himself. Poor man.

When he get his other stimulus check he will still be on the corner holding his sign.

 

[Forever Fowl]

Doesn't help that we are flooding the country with low skill labor and that will further drive down wages and add more stress to our services programs. Makes NO sense at all.

Thank goodness they were here to put a roof on my house. They can't draw welfare and must work which means they're tax payers not tax burdens.

 

[Forever Fowl]

The one of the first questions they will ask a Homeless individual is his home address, once he cant fill that out - his application will be thrown in the garbage

Did you read my post?

 

[feeble2001]

Did you read my post?

Yes I am sorry. They will see that it is a homeless agency and THEN throw it in the garbage. Yall realize that fast food jobs are always "hiring" right?

 

[CCUIrmo]

Did you read my post?

I think he did read it as did I. I think you are partially right but not completely. If you have not been around them first hand, then you cant fully assume things are as easy as you say. They live in an entirely different world that very few of us can understand or are willing to even try to. Lets not paint them all with a broad brush and say they have every chance and resource possible. They dont. They may be seen with a phone but they also may be robbed later that night and lose it. Then what? Trust me when I say it is not as easy as you say. I know from my wife working with them every single week. She gives of her time trying to help them in these regards and it is very, very hard to do. It is not a simple fix.

 

[feeble2001]

Studies show that if you want to end homelessness and improve their lives is a really simple. Give them homes, it pays for itself in productivity and saving in social services and other costs.

 

[USMCatFan]

Studies show that if you want to end homelessness and improve their lives is a really simple. Give them homes, it pays for itself in productivity and saving in social services and other costs.

Only a small percentage of the Homeless would benefit from a program such as this.

For most of the "Homeless", being homeless isn't the problem. It's a symptom of the problem. Many of the Homeless are such because of substance abuse or mental/behavioral issues which will not allow them to maintain a residence or hold a job.

Just building a bunch of houses or apartments and putting people in them wouldn't solve any of the issues which put them on the street to begin with.

 

[jimnasium]

Give them a house? If a person can stand on a corner with a sign he wrote begging and is smart enough to target high traffic areas that person can work at something. When does giving start to becoming the problem and not the solution? Help people who can't help themselves not the ones who won't because it's easier to be you own boss by holding up a God Bless You sign. JMO

 

[JGH 35]

Rule #1: Never give money to homeless people. You do not know what the situation is and you may be making it worse in a variety of ways. Of course there are the obvious ways such as addiction, alcoholism, etc, but there are other possibilities as well. It could very well be a total scam. My Brother-in-Law was at a stop light one day and there was a homeless man with a sign begging for money. While he was waiting on the light to change a van pulled up and the homeless man got on the van and while getting on, another man was getting off. He handed the sign to the man getting off so that he could take his "shift". This was obviously a scam and who knows where that money is going or who is profiting.
Rule #2: If you want to help the homeless or underprivaleged people research which agencies in your area are reputable organizations that provide food and shelter to these people and donate to those organizations. If it is a 501(c)(3) organization or church, you may even get a tax deduction.

 

[GarnetBeamer]

Studies show that if you want to end homelessness and improve their lives is a really simple. Give them homes, it pays for itself in productivity and saving in social services and other costs.

lol, ludicrous.

 

[ken in sacramento]

you all should see California now. It's atrocious. Homeless camps everywhere- tents, tarps, cars, ancient RVs. They live all over and walk around at night looking for things to steal and checking all the car doors. As many have said- most are addicted and mentally ill. There are plenty of do-good programs to help them but many just like the lifestyle. The public is at a breaking point with this stuff. People absolutely hate it. The Gov may get recalled over the "bum explosion", the Covid missteps, the fires, the unemployment debacle, businesses leaving (HP was a big physiological blow), lack of illegal immigration enforcement. Been a bad 10 years in the golden state!

Don't even get me started in San Francisco- was a jewel 20 years ago- now a shithole.

Sad!

 

[Forever Fowl]

I think he did read it as did I. I think you are partially right but not completely. If you have not been around them first hand, then you cant fully assume things are as easy as you say. They live in an entirely different world that very few of us can understand or are willing to even try to. Lets not paint them all with a broad brush and say they have every chance and resource possible. They dont. They may be seen with a phone but they also may be robbed later that night and lose it. Then what? Trust me when I say it is not as easy as you say. I know from my wife working with them every single week. She gives of her time trying to help them in these regards and it is very, very hard to do. It is not a simple fix.

I've worked in human services programs for 35 years and know this population far better than you my friend. For 16 of those years I worked for Vocational Rehabilitation ( my masters from USC is in Rehab Counseling ) which mission is to provide services for people with disabilities that make them employable and then to place them on the job. Panhandlers were often my clients as most have some type of diagnosed disability. For 19 years I worked for DHM and provided mental heath services for the same populations. I know the world of paranoid schizophrenia which makes individuals turn to homelessness. I interned at the SC State Hospital during grad school. I also worked a second job with DMH transitioning adults from the hospital back into the community. Unfortunately we lost many of those to the streets.

Easy street money means a quick fix in the alley way for those suffering from addiction. One thing I learned early on is you can't help those that aren't willing to help themselves nor can you rehabilitate people against their will. In all my years with this population I've met very few homeless people who were just down on their luck.

Any mental heath professional will tell you that enabling is counter therapeutic.

 

[Six Million Dollar Man]

I always feel like I'm enabling and extending their life on the street so I don't give. I do donate to places like Oliver Gospel Mission.

 

[feeble2001]

Only a small percentage of the Homeless would benefit from a program such as this.

For most of the "Homeless", being homeless isn't the problem. It's a symptom of the problem. Many of the Homeless are such because of substance abuse or mental/behavioral issues which will not allow them to maintain a residence or hold a job.

Just building a bunch of houses or apartments and putting people in them wouldn't solve any of the issues which put them on the street to begin with.

Study Data Show that Housing Chronically Homeless People Saves Money, Lives

Homelessness costs taxpayers a lot of money. Take, for example, the infamous case of Murray Barr, aka “Million Dollar Murray,” a chronically homeless man in Reno, Nevada who accrued more than a million dollars in emergency room, substance abuse treatment, police, jail, ambulance, shelter and...

endhomelessness.org

You would be surprised how much mental/behavioral issues are helped solved by having a stable residency. Will it solve it all, no. But you cannot possibly plan to address mental/behavioral issues without a stable residency

 

[feeble2001]

lol, ludicrous.

Good contribution there potsie

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/inspired-life/wp/2015/04/17/the-surprisingly-simple-way-utah-solved-chronic-homelessness-and-saved-millions/

Why Cities Should Give Homes to the Homeless

It might seem obvious, but in lots of cities it's also proved quite effective.

www.bloomberg.com

Some US Cities Are Tackling Homelessness by Giving People Homes, and the Results Are Promising

Is it costing cities too much? Nope. In fact, it's saving them money across the country.

standardnews.com